HH Communication Serviceshttps://hhcommunication.ca HH Communication ServicesMon, 05 Dec 2016 19:45:04 +0000en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.4.1https://hhcommunication.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/cropped-HHCom_logo_square-32x32.jpgHH Communication Serviceshttps://hhcommunication.ca 3232105423777Communicating Effectively Via Emailhttps://hhcommunication.ca/2016/12/05/communicating-effectively-via-email/ Mon, 05 Dec 2016 18:37:32 +0000https://hhcommunication.ca/?p=683I came across this article in a newsletter from Charity Village, and I think it’s worth sharing here. It offers great tips to get your message across clearly and effectively in this world of high-volume electronic communications. Whether communicating with a colleague, your members, or your clients, you still need to make yourself heard above the noise of social media and other communications bombarding your audience. These steps will help you rise above the noise, make your voice heard, and ensure your messages are top-of-mind.

]]>683Doing Business Like a Decathlete: Harness Your Strengthshttps://hhcommunication.ca/2016/09/22/doing-business-like-a-decathlete-harness-your-strengths/ Thu, 22 Sep 2016 17:45:04 +0000https://hhcommunication.ca/?p=675Like many Canadians, and citizens of countries from around the world, the bulk of my attention during the 2016 Olympics was on our athletes. The decathlon really caught my attention as it seems to go against the typical race to out-run, out-throw, and out-jump one’s competitors. The point system for this event considers each athlete individually, comparing how they did at this event with how they’ve performed over the previous year. This complex point system has athletes competing across ten different events, not against each other but against themselves. The decathletes consistently congratulated each other during and after each event. In a world where we see the competition as the enemy, I wonder how far we could go in our businesses—and our personal lives—if instead of hoping the competition falters, we focused on doing the best that we can do and congratulating others on their accomplishments.

In a world where we see the competition as the enemy, I wonder how far we could go in our businesses—and our personal lives—if instead of hoping the competition falters, we focused on doing the best that we can do and congratulating others on their accomplishments.

Focus on your strengthsThe decathlon involves individuals competing across ten different sports in order to determine the best overall athlete. While one individual might be better at javelin, another might win at hurdles or high jump. Just like these athletes, we all have different strengths. If we simply focus on beating the competition, we limit ourselves to their standard. I suggest that if we focus on meeting or beating our own best then we will truly impress our clients—we’ll collect maximum points. This focus on outdoing ourselves also sets the bar higher for the next task or project with a client, which encourages us to work harder to continually improve on our work.

Respect your competitorsNo decathlete, not even the gold medal winner, wins every event, and he or she is the first to admit it. In fact, the overall winner might only win a few of the events. In order to be successful, every decathlete must have incredible respect for all of the other competitors because each brings a different strength to the competition. I believe it is the same in business. If you respect your competitors, you will be able to admit that they might be better at certain tasks or that their products might offer things that your products don’t. However, your product might be more versatile, more easily accessible, better perform under pressure, or prove to be the best in its class in a particular environment. Perhaps your organization offers a different or better service than a competitor. For example, you might not be able to offer a team of 40 individuals to work on a marketing campaign, but the 8 individuals you do have could be more focused on their clients’ needs and offer a more personalized relationship experience. Instead of offering mediocre service for a mediocre product, what you end up with are organizations that excel in specific areas, which is best for everyone. What would happen if you highlighted the strengths of your services and your products? This type of exercise can also help you focus on your target market so you don’t waste time trying to serve clients who aren’t right for you.

if we focus on meeting or beating our own best then we will truly impress our clients—we’ll collect maximum points.

Work on your weaknessesDecathletes know where their strengths lie, but they also know their weaknesses and they work on these events even harder than they do on the events where they excel. While we can’t be all things to all clients and all markets, we can try to make improvements so that we ensure we always bring the best we have to the table. Unlike athletes, in the business world, we have the luxury of going one step further and outsourcing those tasks we struggle with to experts in their field, committing to acquiring new skills and knowledge in these areas ourselves, or hiring on key members of the team so that they become part of the service and brand that we offer. Many companies and organizations tend to commit to offering services and products that they cannot deliver in order to gain a client. However, the results of this approach are often devastating.

Smart organizations recognize their weaknesses and hire someone with the strengths to perform these tasks so that they can focus on and highlight their own strengths.

Turning your weaknesses into strengths: OutsourcingAs a writer and editor, I am often approached to polish up a presentation or write a marketing piece. My clients approach me because they know that I bring strengths of both creativity and effective communication skills (including a love for grammar) that they do not have. Smart organizations recognize their weaknesses and hire someone with the strengths to perform these tasks so that they can focus on and highlight their own strengths. Because grammatical mistakes and poor or clunky writing stand out so much to an audience, organizations who do not even recognize these weaknesses end up highlighting them instead. Basically, it’s just like I say on my website: “…at HH Communication Services, we do what we do best so that you can get back to doing what you do best.”

I challenge you today to change the way you think about your competition. Instead of trying to copy and outdo your competitors, focus on identifying and highlighting what you do well and making improvements on the things you should be doing better. That way, you collect maximum points and keep raising the standard so that you reach your full potential.

If I can help you improve on your writing or other communication materials, I’d love to help you raise the bar. Contact me today at heather@hhcommunication.ca!

]]>675Social Media in Business: Speeches vs Conversationshttps://hhcommunication.ca/2016/08/02/communicating-via-social-media-speeches-vs-conversations/ Tue, 02 Aug 2016 08:47:28 +0000https://hhcommunication.ca/?p=668From the political circus and shocking injustices south of the border to controversies closer to home, challenges and crises all over the world conjure up different attitudes, thoughts, and emotions. Then come the opinions on the issues. For every op-ed published and shared on social media there are four more responses touting a more “civilized” and “refined” point of view the next day. Our social media accounts have moved from sharing our photos with family and friends to boasting opinions on the latest news sensation.

The pitfalls of social media: speeches vs conversationsWhat I find disheartening are the notices I’ve been seeing of late that opposing points of view are not welcome in the comments of individuals’ posts. When did social media become only a tool for communicating with like-minded people? To me, this signals the breakdown of society. When people are not willing to have polite conversations about hot-topic issues with others, how are we ever to challenge our minds, our stands on the issues, or our behaviours? Even if we don’t change our minds, don’t such conversations make us better people? If we are not willing to engage with those on the other side of a topic, how do we expect unions to negotiate contracts? Mediators to settle cases outside of court? Children to learn to get along and play with others? Sadly, these posts are often from those who claim to believe in tolerance of others and who claim to be somewhat liberal in their thinking.

Notices to the effect of “I am comfortable with the posts on my own Facebook page and those who don’t agree need not comment” beg the question: why post the message at all? Social media tools with commenting and reaction features are intended to be used to engage with your audience. Are you making a speech or having a conversation? True, some posts are clearly announcements to followers or brand audiences, and sometimes we simply feel compelled to share our opinion on a topic, but if we expect others to read and consider our opinions, shouldn’t we do them the same courtesy and consider theirs?

Are you making a speech or having a conversation?

Engaging social media for your businessIn the business world, I also see social media tools being misused in this way. Some organizations or companies disable commenting features on blogs and other social media platforms in fear of negative or challenging comments. Others simply ignore comments and do not even respond to positive feedback, hoping that over time it will discourage others to engage in a conversation. But avoiding these opportunities to engage with one’s audience means you’re missing out on some great feedback, which you can use to make your product or service better or hone your marketing efforts. Sure, it might be scary, and you might have to hire someone to manage your social media accounts and respond to people, but truly engaging with social media lets your audience know that a) you’re not afraid, b) you want to get to know them, c) you value their feedback and will consider their needs, and d) you know how to use social media properly (ie, you’re professional and your posts are not a waste of time).

As a company or organization, how are you using social media? Do you invite your audience—be they clients, consumers, customers, or staff—to engage in conversation with you? Are you open to their ideas and insights? Are you able to have a respectful conversation with someone with an opposing viewpoint? Would you refuse to listen to your audience’s point of view if you were having a face-to-face conversation? Haters ‘gonna’ hate, it’s true, and I would say it’s fine to tactfully label the comment as hateful and don’t give it anymore attention. What it comes down to is this: you can use social media in your business or you can engage with social media.

What it comes down to is this: you can use social media in your business or you can engage with social media.

Ask yourself this question: are you making a speech, or are you engaging in conversation? If it’s not the latter, I suggest you’re wasting your time.

I do not purport to be a social media expert but I do see the value in engaging your audience via social media. And yes, I value your respectful comments and thoughts on the issue. Feel free to comment!

]]>668Tools to Make Your Message Clear: Hemingway Editorhttps://hhcommunication.ca/2016/05/12/tools-to-make-your-message-clear-hemingway-editor/ Thu, 12 May 2016 17:32:01 +0000https://hhcommunication.ca/?p=659We’ve heard it before: effective communication is clear and concise. When writing for the public, experts advise using language at a grade 4/6 level. This can be a challenge if the author of the document is an expert in his or her field; hence the rise of the plain language editor. Experts and editors need to go beyond “dumbing it down” to ensure that the message is still accurate and complete. This can be more difficult than it seems, but hey, there’s an app for that: the Hemingway Editor.

What is the Hemingway Editor?The Hemingway Editor is a tool designed to help writers ensure their work is as clear and concise as possible. Available online or as an app on your desktop, the tool uses colour-coded highlighting to alert the reader to issues such as passive tense, long or run-on sentences, and complex sentence structure (sentences containing multiple clauses that could easily lose the reader). It also highlights adverbs (often not necessary), and offers alternative simple terms for complex ones. Other helpful tools include stats such as number of words, sentences, paragraphs, characters, and letters in a given piece. It also estimates read time, which can be helpful for speeches, presentations, and video scripts. In addition, at the top right, you will see a grade level marking for readability.

Hemingway Editor at work

Does the Hemingway Editor help?Allowing users to copy and paste or compose a document directly within the app makes the Hemingway Editor easy to use. I do find the information the app provides to be helpful in the editing process since it alerts me to areas that could be tightened up. However, as with all electronic writing and editing tools, the Hemingway Editor is no replacement for a good editor. In certain cases, an adverb might be necessary to make the meaning clear. In order to bring out contrast between ideas, a complex sentence might be exactly what is called for. And while potentially awkward, the passive voice—used sparingly and wisely—can add variety and change the focus of a sentence in subtle and precise ways. If you’re an editor or writer working on documents for the general public, I do think that using the Hemingway Editor will help you edit for clarity and readability—just don’t get hung up on the stats and highlights. Sometimes, there just is no simpler way to say something without losing part of the meaning or clouding the message.

I used the app on this blog post and it gave me a readability score of grade 10, which I think is appropriate for my target audience. The app highlighted many of my sentences and I was able to simplify where I could. Remember to write your message with the reader in mind; if you do that, your readability score will likely be appropriate for your audience. So… did it take you 2 minutes to read this post?

Check out the Hemingway Editor and let me know what you think. Was it helpful?

]]>659The Importance of Proof Reading: Even the Big Guys Make Mistakeshttps://hhcommunication.ca/2016/05/05/the-importance-of-proof-reading-even-the-big-guys-make-mistakes/ Thu, 05 May 2016 03:03:36 +0000https://hhcommunication.ca/?p=650My first flight with our toddler recently taught me a great deal. I learned the need to pack twice as many snacks as what he would normally consume in a 5-hour period, bring several quiet activities to keep him occupied, and toss out of my mind all ideas of watching movies or getting work done during the flight. I also learned something I didn’t expect: even large corporations make mistakes. While flipping through the airline’s onboard menu (because clearly, we did not bring enough food for the trip), a glaring error nearly jumped out of the page at me: Campbell’s Cicken Noodle soup. Oops!

Mistakes happen: Proof readers are human tooThe blatant error reminded me that as excellent as the writers are, as experienced the team of copy editors, and as many approvals a piece goes through from copy to art to printer proofs, you just can’t skip the vital step of proofreading. Proof readers catch issues that occur in the copy to artwork/layout process, including missing text, font issues, spacing and artwork issues, and mistakes that make it through the copy editing process. They work closely with graphic designers and therefore are aware of the types of issues to look out for. The proof reader must constantly battle his or her mind, which is designed to fill in missing letters or correct mistakes in order to make sense of what the eye sees—filling in the missing h in cicken, for example. (Learn more about the differences between copy editing and proof reading.) Proof reading is methodical, visual, and can be tedious.

Perhaps the proof reader didn’t catch the mistake—proof readers often have to work in a hurried state because of sliding deadlines earlier in the process. Perhaps the company didn’t use a proof reader on this piece at all, or maybe they used an editor thinking both tasks require the same skill set—they don’t. Whatever the reason, the mistake happened.

The proof reader must constantly battle his or her mind, which is designed to fill in missing letters or correct mistakes in order to make sense of what the eye sees…

Determining what to do if you’ve gone to print with an errorThe next step in realizing there’s an error in print is to assess the damage vs cost. Will the error have significant consequences for the end user? For example, one colleague was working on a scientific textbook and a mistake in temperatures (400 vs 40 degrees) was found at the printer proof stage. Because it was in relation to drug properties and storing environment, the company had to go back and change it, which cost them significantly at that stage. Will the error negatively impact the company? For example, a colleague learned of a mistake on a telephone number that was published on a billboard—talk about a large mistake! I’ve also heard of postcards being mailed out for a retailer that failed to inform of the store’s location and website. If your audience can’t contact you, then you’re losing potential business. Will the error negatively affect the company’s reputation? The answer to this question could make it worth paying the extra money to fix the mistake, but also might not make much difference to the company’s bottom line. In the case of the airline, most people probably didn’t even notice the missing h in Cicken and I don’t think they’ll be losing customers over it. In this case, it’s best for the editorial staff to make a note of it and change it on the next print run. If the mistake is in a document published on a website, however, it can be easily and quickly changed.

The value of a good proof readerI started my editing and writing career as a proof reader for a pharmaceutical marketing agency where, thankfully, my work was very much appreciated. From there, I moved on to copy editing, while also maintaining my proof reading skills. Often the last pair of eyes on a piece, a good proof reader is probably the most valuable step in the publishing and printing process. The last organization I worked for employed an exceptional proof reader we nicknamed Hawk Eyes. Though page proofs would go through a few talented copy editors and proof readers, she often caught mistakes that could have cost the medical publication much embarrassment.

Even if you’re up against a tight publication deadline, do send the piece to a good proof reader. He or she could save your organization embarrassment, money, and future business. Sure, we all make mistakes, but as I’m learning on Daniel Tiger’s Neighbourhood, “Mistakes happen—try to fix them and learn from them, too!”

]]>650Ten common writing mistakes clarifiedhttps://hhcommunication.ca/2016/04/27/ten-common-writing-mistakes-clarified/ Wed, 27 Apr 2016 18:44:14 +0000https://hhcommunication.ca/?p=614Check out this great visual of common writing mistakes, be they in blogs or elsewhere. To an editor, this is one of the greatest and most useful infographics out there! Thanks to Mary Chong at Calculated Traveller for bringing it to my attention. (Infographic from GrammarCheck.net)

Of course, if you’re feeling overwhelmed with all of these things to look out for, if you just don’t have the time, or if you have trouble editing your own work, hire an editor! After all, that’s what we’re here for.

Think back to your days in post-secondary education: were you the type who kept up with your class readings? Did you start studying well in advance of the exam or did you approach your studying with a plan but cram the night before? How you studied back then might well have been effective, but how can you translate those skills into the workplace to work smarter? This post is the last in a series that covers three types of people: the study as you go-er, the last-minute crammer, and the procrastinator. Let’s consider the procrastinator.

The procrastinatorProcrastinators do not even think about starting a task until they feel the urgent stress of a deadline on their shoulders. These types of students are usually found anywhere but the library or study hall, and many feel compelled to clean their rooms, do laundry, exercise, or poke around on social media. While the procrastinator is purposely looking for things to do other than study, the crammer has already visualized how he or she will study and how much time is needed to get there.

Hallmarks of a procrastinator:

Fast-approaching deadlines are needed in order to get motivated to study

Intense need and drive to complete any other tasks prior to studying to clear the mind (often in the form of exercising, tidying a work space, and completing personal communications)

Once other tasks are completed, the learner adapts study methods to how much time is remaining

Fast-approaching deadlines drive the motivation to study; no study plan is devised until all other tasks are complete

In the workplace, this style needs to be modified. If your colleagues or managers frequently find you addressing personal email, surfing the Web, or find that you haven’t really thought about the task at hand, you might find yourself on the slacker list—or unemployed. If you find it difficult to focus, arrive early to work or set aside a few minutes each morning to clean your work space and take care of any personal matters that on your mind so you can focus on your work. You might also want to give yourself deadlines in advance of your project’s due date. Break up the project into steps and commit to sending the various components by certain days to colleagues for their review. This will enable you to harness the effective stress of being motivated by a tight deadline while still leaving time for revisions and finessing.

However you learn and work best, be sure that your style does not negatively affect your team members or the next person in the project flow.

The examHowever you learn and work best, be sure that your style does not negatively affect your team members or the next person in the project flow. During the “exam” (or important meetings or task), try to sit in the same place you usually do and it will help you to recall the material. Be sure to take a deep inhale and exhale before speaking or completing your task, and come prepared, both mentally and physically.

As a student, I was definitely a last-minute crammer, but I also did simply procrastinate from time-to-time. Thankfully, given my role as an editor and proof reader, my ability to memorize and adjust my working strategies to deadline has proven to be highly effective in my work. Since my role is often called upon when those who came before me in the chain of production have already missed their timelines, I am able to buckle down, work tediously, and work smart to meet the deadline. This also means I can produce high-quality work in a short amount of time, making it more cost-effective for my clients.

How do you work best? What methods do you find effective in your work?

All the best to all the students out there. Study smart. Study hard. You can do it!

Students are under a great deal of stress this time of year: final exams. With up to seven exams and final projects due in a matter of days, we hope that students have learned how best they learn so they can study effectively. Thankfully, those approaches to looming deadlines can translate well into the work world. This series covers three types of people: the last-minute crammer, the study as you go-er, and the procrastinator. Today we examine the last-minute crammer.

The last-minute crammerThese creatures can often be found barricaded in their room the night before an exam. Not to be scoffed at, the true last-minute crammer actually engages some proven skills to ensure he or she maximizes the potential for recalling important information: Recency, repetition, and rhythm. By studying intensely at the last minute, the brain can more easily access the information that was stored.

Hallmarks of a crammer:

Studying is a highly intense process

Schedule the amount of time needed to study as close as possible to the deadline

Often read and repeat the information out loud over and over, especially using rhythm to assist the memorization

Employ colour-coding and other organizational and visualization strategies to their notes

Schedule studying at the last possible moment so the brain can recall what was recently studied

Deadlines produce a positive stress and actually assist in the learning process

Ensure that your last-minute intense style does not affect your coworkers…. for some people, approaching deadlines can cause negative stress.

Not to be confused with procrastinators, crammers already know in advance that they need to study at the last-minute. They know how much time it will take and schedule their start time accordingly. They usually take detailed notes and employ a thought-out plan of attack to cover the material in question effectively, but definitely at the last-minute.

If this is how best you studied in school, this might be the way to go when you’re preparing for that big presentation or delivering that report to your superior. Crammers in the workplace are able to focus intensely on the work at hand and work well under tight deadlines. If this is your effective working strategy, ensure that your last-minute intense style does not affect your coworkers. In group work, everyone needs to pull together and respect that for some people, approaching deadlines can cause negative stress.

How do you work best? What methods do you find effective in your work? Check out our next post, where we review the good and the bad of a procrastinator and how you can work effectively.

All the best to all the students out there. Study smart. Study hard. You can do it!

]]>630Study Smart, Work Effectively (1 of 3): Study as you go-erhttps://hhcommunication.ca/2016/04/15/study-smart-work-effectively-1-of-3-study-as-you-go-er/ Fri, 15 Apr 2016 01:06:01 +0000https://hhcommunication.ca/?p=623Students across the country are pushing their party nights aside to buckle down and get serious about their school work. Strange pre-exam rituals are being performed and coffee and energy drinks are being consumed on campuses all over. It’s that time again: final exams. Some students are cramming the night before, while others started studying two weeks in advance. Knowing how best you learn can translate to how best you work.

This three-part series will cover three types of people: the last-minute crammer, the study as you go-er, and the procrastinator.

Knowing how best you learn can translate to how best you work.

The study as you go-erYou’ve seen them in their rooms and study halls, carefully rewriting or typing out their notes from the day’s classes: they are the study as you go-ers.

Hallmarks of a study as you go-er:

Keep up with the assigned readings and make and re-write notes

Start studying well in advance of the exam

Work space appears tidy and organized

Looming deadlines cause anxiety and stress levels that hinder the ability to learn

This style is the most time-consuming, but can be quite effective for those who do not handle the stress of tight deadlines well.

If this is how you best studied and completed assignments as a student, try translating these habits to your work life as best you can. After meetings, type out your notes again, or perhaps email the team or meeting organizer with a summary of the highlights and your next steps to be sure you understood the material. Some organizations already have someone assigned to do this, but creating your own personalized notes or checklists can be helpful. If the report or presentation is due in two weeks, get started on it right away with some preliminary steps such as general research and a brief, and then move on to creating an outline, then drafting the actual material. Be sure to leave time for multiple reviews and drafts, as well as time between each draft to give your brain the opportunity to revisit the material with fresh eyes. If you’re working in a team, be aware that others might not work best in this style, and they might have other priorities to deal with so far in advance. Ensure that your work is completed on time and is completed well.

How do you work best? What methods do you find effective in your work? Tune in for the next post to see if you’re a last-minute crammer.

All the best to all the students out there. Study smart. Study hard. You can do it!

]]>623Writing it Right: Making Your Marketing Materials Shinehttps://hhcommunication.ca/2016/03/30/writing-it-right-making-your-marketing-materials-shine/ Wed, 30 Mar 2016 20:06:01 +0000https://hhcommunication.ca/?p=615It used to be that the elite few could say they’ve been published. In this world of on-demand and vanity press publishing, anyone can be a published writer. Simply send in your manuscript and a self-publishing company will print and publish it for you, complete with ISBN. And then there’s the ebook route, allowing you to hit the digital publishing market at the click of a button. While the world of publishing and authorship has been vastly opened in the last couple of decades, it’s often more difficult to weed out the proverbial wheat from the chaff. So how do you determine a mediocre writer from a writer with higher standards?

Portfolio: The proof is in the puddingA good writer should have some written materials to show, be that in a professional portfolio of published work or in posts on social media. For instance, one of my acquaintances has a small writing gig, but when I read her posts on Facebook, I find myself chuckling and laughing at her creative use of hashtags and how she expresses what’s happening around her. Not many people can write humour well, but her Facebook page is testament to her talent. Her professional writing jobs doesn’t reflect her widespread talent. Check out the writer you’re thinking about working with and see if you like what he or she has written in the past, or is capable of writing for you in the future.

A good writer should approach each task with a level of professionalism that shows he or she wants to reflect your unique personality and voice.

Approach: Professional and preparedWhen I met with a client to redesign his website, he expected to tell me what I was going to write. Instead, I opened up my notebook and asked him a series of questions about him and his business that really made him think: How did you get started in this industry? How did you come to own this company? What are a few core values you bring to the workplace? If you could describe your company in one sentence to a complete stranger, what would you say? I wasn’t just looking for the answers to those questions; the language my client used when answering allowed me to see a bit of his personality, which helped me to create factual and engaging content that reflected him and his business. Notice also, that I had prepared the questions ahead of time. I’d given it some thought. A good writer should approach each task—whether big or small—with a level of professionalism that shows he or she wants to reflect your unique personality and voice.

Effective: Does it work?This one’s a no-brainer. If the writing isn’t effective, then your campaign is going to fall through. Different writers specialize in different types of writing, and you may not want to hire a strictly academic writer to prepare your tongue-in-cheek magazine marketing content. Are the hooks punchy? When you see the logo do you immediately remember the tagline? Marketing content needs to be memorable and engaging, but also needs to drive your audience to action. Yes, writers can be great at writing a variety of different styles, but if your pieces aren’t measuring up, it’s time to find a new writer.

Ensuring your marketing materials engage your audience and are memorable and effective begins with hiring the right writer for the job. Make sure it’s a writer you get along with, too. This is the person who will be showcasing your company, so they need to “get” you and what your company is all about.

If you’re searching a writer to help with your marketing pieces, resume, reports, or video content, check out my details. I’d love to get to know you and help your business succeed.